COMMANDMENTS, THE 613:

That the law of Moses contains 613 commandments is stated by R. Simlai, a Palestinian haggadist, who says (Mak. 23b): "Six hundred and thirteen commandments were revealed to Moses; 365 being prohibitions equal in number to the days of the year, and 248 being mandates corresponding in number to the bones of the human body." The number 613 is found as early as tannaitic times—e.g., in a saying of Simon ben Eleazar (Mek., Yitro, Baḥodesh, 5) and one of Simon ben Azzai (Sifre, Deut. § 76, Friedman's ed., p. 90b)—and is apparently based upon ancient tradition (see Tan., Ki Teẓe, ed. Buber, 2; Ex. R. xxxii.; Num. R. xiii., xviii.; Yeb. 47b; Shab. 87a; Ned. 25a; Shebu. 29a; comp. Bacher, "Ag. Tan." i. 413, ii. 436). The authenticity of the statements attributed to R. Simlai, however, has been questioned by authorities such as Naḥmanides and Abraham ibn Ezra (see M. Bloch, in "Rev. Et. Juives," i. 197, 210; v. 27 et seq.; Weiss, "Dor," p. 74, note 50). The first to undertake the task of identifying the commandments was Simeon Kahira, in his "Halakot Gedolot." He begins with the prohibitions, which he classes in the order of the gravity of the punishments incurred by their transgression, while in regard to the mandates he follows the order of the parashiyyot, beginning with the Decalogue.

Kahira was followed by Saadia, Gabirol, and many others, who enumerated the 613 commandments in liturgical poems (see Azharot). In order to make up the number 613, Kahira and the poets just mentioned were compelled to incorporate many rabbinical laws. This method was criticized by Maimonides, who published a work entitled "Sefer ha-Miẓwot," laying down fourteen guiding principles for the identification of the commandments, which he enumerates accordingly. Some of these principles were attacked by Naḥmanides and others, who showed that Maimonides himself had not always been consistent. New identifications were therefore proposed by Moses ben Jacob of Coucy, author of the "Sefer Miẓwot ha-Gadol" (SeMaG), and Isaac ben Joseph of Corbeil, author of the "Sefer Miẓwot ha-Ḳaton" (SeMaḲ). The following is a list of the 613 commandments of Maimonides:

Mandatory Commandments.

1. To know that the Lord God exists. Ex. xx. 2.

2. To acknowledge His unity. Deut. vi. 4.

3-4. To love and fear Him. Deut. vi. 5, 13.

5. To pray to Him. Ex. xxiii. 25.

6. To cleave to Him. Deut. x. 20.

7. To swear by His name. Deut. vi. 13, x. 20.

8. To resemble Him in His ways. Deut. xxviii. 9.

9. To sanctify His name. Lev. xxii. 32.

10. To read the Shema' each morning and evening. Deut. vi. 7.

11. To learn and to teach others the Law. Deut. vi. 7.

12-13. To bind tefillin on the forehead and arm. Deut. vi. 8.

14. To make ẓiẓit. Num. xv. 38.

15. To fix a Mezuzah. Deut. vi. 9.

16. To assemble the people to hear the Law every seventh year. Deut. xxxi. 12.

17. To write a copy of the Law for oneself. Deut. xxxi. 19.

18. That the king write a special copy of the Law for himself. Deut. xvii. 18.

19. To bless God after eating. Deut. viii. 10.

20. To build the Temple. Ex. xxv. 8.

21. To reverence the sanctuary. Lev. xix. 30.

22. To watch the sanctuary perpetually. Num. xviii. 2.

23. That Levites shall serve in the sanctuary. Num. xviii. 23.

24. That at services the priests wash their hands and feet. Ex. xxx. 19.

25. That the priests kindle the lights in the sanctuary. Ex. xxx. 19.

26. That the priests bless Israel. Num. vi. 23.

27. To set showbread and incense before the Lord on Sabbath. Ex. xxv. 30.

28. To burn incense twice each day. Ex. xxx. 7.

29. To keep fire continually upon the altar. Lev. vi. 13.

30. To remove the ashes daily from the altar. Lev. vi. 10.

31. To put the impure out of the holy place. Num. v. 2.

32. That the Aaronites have the place of honor. Lev. xxi. 8.

33. To clothe the Aaronites with priestly garments. Ex. xxviii. 2.

34. That the Kehathites carry the Ark upon their shoulders. Num. vii. 9.

35. To anoint high priests and kings with oil. Ex. xxx. 31.

36. That the priests officiate by turns. Deut. xviii. 6, 8.

37. That the priests pay due honors to the dead. Lev. xxi. 3.

38. That the high priest take a virgin to wife. Lev. xxi. 13.

39. To sacrifice twice a day. Num. xxviii. 3.

40. That the chief priest offer an oblation daily. Lev. vi. 20.

41-3. To offer an additional oblation every Sabbath, on the first of every month, and on the Feast of Passover. Num. xxviii. 9, xxviii. 11; Lev. xxiii. 36.

44. To offer a sheaf of the first barley on the second day of Passover. Lev. xxiii. 10.

45. To add an oblation on the day of the Feast of Shebu'ot. Num. xxviii. 26.

46. To offer two loaves of bread on Shebu'ot. Lev. xxiii. 17.

47. To add an offering on the first of Tishri. Num. xxix. 1.

48. To add an offering on the Day of Atonement. Num. xxix. 7.

49. To observe the service on the Day of Atonement. Lev. xvi. 3.

50. To add an offering on the Feast of Sukkot. Num. xxix. 13.

51. To offer a special sacrifice on the eighth day of Sukkot. Num. xxix. 35.

52. To keep the festival at the three seasons of the year. Ex. xxiii. 14.

53. That every male appear at the feast. Deut. xvi. 16.

54. To rejoice at the feasts. Deut. xvi. 14.

55-6. To slay the paschal lamb and eat the flesh roasted, on the fifteenth night of Nisan. Ex. xii. 6, xii. 8.

57-8. To observe the second Passover and eat the paschal lamb with maẓẓah and maror. Num. ix. 11, 13; ix. 11.

59. To blow the trumpets over the sacrifices, and in time of tribulation. Num. x. 10.

60. That cattle, when sacrificed, be eight days old or more. Lev. xxii. 27.

61. That all cattle sacrificed be perfect. Lev. xxii. 21.

62. That all offerings be salted. Lev. ii. 13.

63. To bring a burnt offering. Lev. i. 3.

64-7. To bring a sacrifice for sin, for trespass, a peace-offering, and a meat-offering. Lev. ii. 1, vi. 25, vii. 1, 11.

68. That the Sanhedrin bring a sin-offering if they have erred in doctrine. Lev. iv. 13.

69. That one who has by error transgressed a Karet prohibition bring a sin-offering. Lev. iv. 27, v. 1.

70. That one in doubt whether he has transgressed a prohibition bring a sin-offering. Lev. v. 17, 18.

71. That a trespass-offering be brought for having sworn falsely and the like. Lev. v. 15, 21; xix. 20.

72. To offer a sacrifice according to one's means. Lev. v. 7, 11.

73. That confession of sins be made before the Lord. Num. v. 7.

74-5. That a man or woman having an issue offer a sacrifice. Lev. xv. 13, 28.

76. That a leper after being cleansed bring an offering. Lev. xiv. 10.

77. That a woman offer a sacrifice after childbirth. Lev. xii. 6.

78. To tithe the cattle. Lev. xxvii. 32.

79. To sacrifice the first-born of clean cattle. Deut. xv. 19.

80. To redeem the first-born of man. Num. xviii. 15.

81-2. To redeem the firstling of an ass, and to break its neck if the animal be not redeemed. Ex. xiii. 13.

83. To bring all offerings to Jerusalem. Deut. xii. 5, 6.

84. To offer all sacrifices in the Temple. Deut. xii. 14.

85. To bring to the Temple also the offerings from beyond the land of Israel. Deut. xii. 26.

86. To redeem holy animals that have blemishes. Deut. xii. 15.

87. That a beast exchanged for an offering is holy. Lev. xxvii. 10.

88. That the remainder of the meat-offerings be eaten. Lev. vi. 16.

89. That the flesh of sin-and trespass-offerings be eaten. Ex. xxix. 33.

90-1. To burn consecrated flesh that has become unclean; also the remainder of the consecrated flesh not eaten. Lev. vii. 17, 19.

92-3. That the Nazarite suffer his hair to grow during his separation, and shave it at the close of his Nazariteship. Num. vi. 5, 9.

94. That a man keep his vow. Deut. xxiii. 23.

95. That the judge act according to the Law in annulling vows. Num. xxx. 3.

96. That all who touch a carcass are unclean. Lev. xi. 34.

97. That eight species of animals contaminate. Lev. xi. 39.

98. That food is contaminated by contact with unclean things. Lev. xi. 34.

99. That a menstruous woman contaminates. Lev. xv. 19.

100. That a lying-in woman is unclean. Lev. xii. 2.

101. That a leper is unclean and contaminates others. Lev. xiii. 3.

102-3. That a leprous garment and a leprous house contaminate. Lev. xiii. 47, xiv. 35.

104-6. That a man or woman having a running issue contaminates, as does the seed of copulation. Lev. xv. 2, 16, 28.

107. That a corpse contaminates. Num. xix. 14.

108. That the water of separation contaminates the clean, cleansing only the unclean from the pollution of the dead. Num. xix. 26.

109. To cleanse from uncleanness by washing in running water. Lev. xv. 16.

110-12. That leprosy be cleansed with cedar-wood, etc.; that the leper shave all his hair, rend his raiment, and bare his head. Lev. xiii. 45; xiv. 2, 9.

113. To burn a red heifer and preserve its ashes. Num. xix. 9.

114. To pay the equivalent of a "singular" vow. Lev. xxvii. 2.

115-7. That one who vows an unclean beast, or his house, or his field, shall pay the appointed sum, or as the priest shall direct. Lev. xxvii. 11, 14, 16.

118. That he shall make restitution who trespasses through ignorance in things holy. Lev. v. 16.

119. That plantations in their fourth year shall be holy. Lev. xix. 24.

120-4. To leave to the poor the corners of the field unreaped, the gleanings of the harvest, the forgotten sheaf, the gleanings in the vineyard, and the residue of the grapes. Lev. xix. 9, 10; Deut. xxiv. 19.

125. To bring the first-fruits into the sanctuary. Ex. xxiii. 19.

126. To give the great heave-offering to the priest. Deut. xviii. 4.

127. To separate the tithe of corn for the Levites. Num. xviii. 24; Lev. xxvii. 30.

128. To separate a second tithe and eat it in Jerusalem. Deut. xiv. 22.

129. That the Levites shall give a tithe of the tithe to the priest. Num. xviii. 26.

130. To separate the tithe for the poor in the third and sixth years instead of in the second. Deut. xiv. 28.

131-2. To recite the chapter on the tithe and read it over the first-fruit. Deut. xxvi. 5, 13.

133. To separate for the priest a cake of the first of the dough. Num. xv. 20.

134-5. To let the field rest fallow every seventh year, and to cease from tilling the ground. Ex. xxiii. 11, xxxiv. 21.

136-8. To hallow the year of jubilee by resting, to sound the trumpet in the year of jubilee, and to grant a redemption for the land in that year. Lev. xxv. 9, 10, 24.

139. To allow a house sold in a walled city to be redeemed within the year. Lev. xxv. 29.

140. To number the years of jubilee yearly and septennially. Lev. xxv. 8.

141. To release all debts in the seventh year. Deut. xv. 2.

142. To exact the debt of a foreigner. Deut. xv. 3.

143. To give to the priest his share of the cattle sacrifices. Deut. xviii. 3.

144. To give the first of the fleece to the priest. Deut. xviii. 4.

145. To discriminate between what belongs to the Lord and what to the priest. Lev. xxvii. 21, 28.

180-2. The eating of beasts in a dying condition, or torn animals ("ṭerefah"), or a member of a living animal. Ex. xxii. 31; Deut. xii. 21, 23.

183-5. The eating of the sinew which shrank, of blood, or of fat. Gen. xxxii. 32; Lev. vii. 23, 26.

186-7. The boiling of flesh in milk and the eating of flesh with milk. Ex. xxiii. 19, xxxiv. 26; Deut. xiv. 21.

188. The eating of the flesh of an ox that has been stoned. Ex. xxi. 28.

189-91. The eating of bread made of the new corn, or roasted grain, or green ears of the new corn, before the Passover offering has been brought. Lev. xxiii. 14.

192. The use of the fruit of a young tree before the fourth year. Lev. xix. 23.

193. The eating of mixed seeds of the vineyard. Deut. xxii. 9.

194. The use of libations to idols. Deut. xxxii. 38.

195. Gluttony and drunkenness. Deut. xxi. 20; Lev. xix. 26.

196. Eating on the Day of Atonement. Lev. xxiii. 29.

197-9. The eating of anything leavened on Passover, or of leavened bread after the middle of the fourteenth day. Ex. xii. 20; Deut. xiii. 3, xvi. 3.

200-1. The exposure of leaven and leavened bread. Ex. xiii. 7, 19.

202-6. A Nazarite may not drink wine or any liquor made from grapes, nor may he eat grapes or any part thereof. Num. vi. 3-5.

207-9. A Nazarite may not pollute himself for the dead, nor enter into the tent of the dead, nor shall he shave his hair. Num. vi. 5-7.

210-4. To reap the whole of the field, to gather the fallen ears of corn in harvest, to cut off all the clusters of the vineyard, to gather every grape of the vineyard, or to return to take a forgotten handful. Lev. xix. 9-10; Deut. xxiv. 19, 20.

215-6. The sowing of different kinds of seed together, or of corn and herbs in a vineyard. Lev. xix. 19; Deut. xxii. 9.

217. The gendering of cattle with those of diverse species. Lev. xix. 19.

218. The use of two different kinds of cattle together. Deut. xxii. 10.

219. The prevention of an animal working in the field from eating. Deut. xxv. 4.

220-3. To till the ground, to prune trees, to reap spontaneously grown corn, or to gather the fruit of trees, in the seventh year. Lev. xxv. 4-5.

224-6. To till the earth, to prune trees, to reap what grows spontaneously, or to gather fruit, in the jubilee year. Lev. xxv. 11.

227. The permanent sale of a field in the land of Israel. Lev. xxv. 23.

228. To change the suburbs of the Levites or their fields. Lev. xxv. 34.

229. To leave the Levite without support. Deut. xii. 19.

230. To demand the amount of a debt after the lapse of the seventh year. Deut. xv. 2.

231. To refuse to lend to the poor on account of the release year. Deut. xv. 9.

232. To refuse to lend to the poor the things which he requires. Deut. xv. 7.

239-42. The exaction of a pledge from a debtor by violence; the retention of a pledge from the poor when he requires it; the receipt of a pledge from a widow, and the exaction of a pledge when it is such that one obtains by it a living. Deut. xxiv. 6, 10, 17.

243. To kidnap a man of Israel. Ex. xx. 15.

244. To steal. Lev. xix. 11.

245. To rob by violence. Lev. xix. 13.

246. To remove the landmark. Deut. xix. 14.

247. To defraud. Lev. xix. 13.

248. To defraud one's neighbor. Lev. xix. 11.

249. To swear falsely with regard to a neighbor's property. Lev. xix. 11.

250. To injure any one in bargaining. Lev. xxv. 14.

251-3. To oppress or injure any one. Ex. xxii. 21; Lev. xxv. 17.

254-5. To deliver a fugitive slave to his master, or to vex him. Deut. xxiii. 15, 16.

256. To afflict the widow and orphan. Ex. xxii. 22.

257-9. To use a Hebrew servant as a slave, to sell him as a bondman, or to treat him cruelly. Lev. xxv. 39, 42-43.

281. To hear one litigant except in the presence of the other. Ex. xxiii. 1.

282. To decide by a majority of one in capital cases. Ex. xxiii. 2.

283. Having first pleaded for a man in a capital case, one may not afterward plead against him. Ex. xxiii. 2.

284. The appointment as judge of one who is not learned in the Law. Deut. i. 17.

285. False witness. Ex. xx. 16.

286. The acceptance of testimony from a wicked person. Ex. xxiii. 1.

287. The testimony of relatives. Deut. xxiv. 16.

288. To pronounce judgment upon the testimony of only one witness. Deut. xix. 15.

289. To kill the innocent. Ex. xx. 13.

290. To convict on circumstantial evidence only. Ex. xxiii. 7.

291. To condemn to death on the evidence of only one witness. Num. xxxv. 30.

292. To execute before conviction one charged with a crime. Num. xxxv. 12.

293 To pity or spare the persecutor. Deut. xxv. 12.

294. To punish the victim in a case of rape. Deut. xxii. 26.

295-6. The acceptance of ransom for a murderer or for a manslayer. Num. xxxv. 31, 32.

297. The toleration of bloodshed. Lev. xix. 16.

298-9. To leave a stumbling-block in the way, or to cause the simple to stumble on the road. Deut. xxii. 8; Lev. xix. 14.

300. To exceed the number of stripes assigned to the guilty. Deut. xxv. 3.

301. Calumny. Lev. xix. 16.

302. To bear hatred in one's heart. Lev. xix. 17.

303. To cause the face of an Israelite to blush. Lev. xix. 17.

304-5. To bear a grudge. Lev. xix. 18.

306. To take the dam with the young. Deut. xxii, 6.

307-8. To shave the hair of the scall, or to pluck out the marks of leprosy. Lev. xiii. 33; Deut. xxiv. 8.

309. To plow or sow in a valley in which a slain body has been found. Deut. xxi. 4.

310. To suffer a witch to live. Ex. xxii. 18.

311. To force a bridegroom to perform military service. Deut. xxiv. 5.

312. Rebellion against the Sanhedrin. Deut. xvii. 11.

313-4. To add to or detract from the precepts of the Law. Deut. xii. 32.

315-6. To curse the judges, a prince, or a ruler. Ex. xxii. 28.

317. To curse any Israelite. Lev. xix. 14.

318-9. To curse or smite father or mother. Ex. xxi. 15, 17.

320-1. To work or to go beyond the city limits on the Sabbath. Ex. xx. 10.

322. To punish on the Sabbath. Ex. xxxv. 3.

323-9. To work on the first or the seventh day of Passover, or on the Feast of Shebu'ot, or on the first day of the seventh month, or on the Day of Atonement, or on the first or the eighth day of the Feast of Tabernacles. Ex. xii. 16; Lev. xxiii. 7, 16, 20, 25, 28, 35, 36.

330-45. The various marriages constituting incest. Lev. xviii. 7-18.

346. To have intercourse with a menstruous woman. Lev. xviii. 19.

347-53. Adultery, sodomy, etc. Lev. xviii. 7, 14, 20, 22, 23.

354. The marriage of a bastard with a daughter of Israel. Deut. xxiii. 2.

355. Harlotry. Deut. xxiii. 17.

356. The remarriage of a divorcee with her first husband. Deut. xxiv. 4.

357. The marriage of a widow with any one but the brother of her deceased husband. Deut. xxv. 5.

358. Divorcing of a victim of rape by the offender. Deut. xxii. 29.

359. Divorcing of a wife upon whom an evil name has been brought. Deut. xxii. 9.

360. The marriage of a eunuch with a daughter of Israel. Deut. xxiii. 1.

361. The castration of any male whatsoever. Lev. xxii. 24.

362. The election of a stranger as king over Israel. Deut. xvii. 15.

363-5. The possession by a king of an excessive number of horses and wives, or of an unduly large quantity of silver and gold. Deut. xvii. 16, 17.

5. To eat the first-born of cattle and the second tithe in Jerusalem. Deut. xiv. 23.

7. To eat the wave-offering only when it is without blemish. Deut. xv. 22.

63. To eat the fruit of the seventh year, and not to trade with it. Lev. xxv. 6.

64. To possess the land of Israel. Num. xxxiii. 53.

65. To leave open one side in besieging a town. Num. xxxi. 7 (see Sifre ad loc.).

66. To remember what God did to Miriam. Deut. xxiv. 9.

67. To be perfect with the Lord. Deut. xviii. 13.

85. To select the wave-offering from the best. Num. xviii. 29.

89. To bring an offering of cattle only. Lev. i. 1.

95. To offer all the sacrifices between the two oblations. Lev. vi. 5.

96. To eat the paschal lamb in the night only. Ex. xii. 8.

97. That the avenger of blood pursue the murderer. Num. xxxv. 19.

98. To avoid the garments of the leprous. Lev. xiii. 51.

99. To recite the blessing over the Torah before reading it. Deut. xxxii. 2.

100. To sustain the sojourning stranger. Lev. xxv. 49.

101. To return usury taken from an Israelite. Lev. xxv. 35.

102. To renounce profit from the Nazarite's hair. Num. vi. 5.

103. To make an ark and a mercy-seat. Ex. xxv. 15.

104. To keep an oath or vow. Deut. xxiii. 24.

105. To reckon months and years. Deut. xvi. 1.

106. To bring an offering morning and evening. Num. xxviii. 4.

107. To offer incense morning and evening. Ex. xxx. 7, 8.

108. To read the Shema' morning and evening. Deut. vi. 17.

149. To recognize unconditionally the first-born son. Deut. xxi. 17.

150. To liberate the slave whose tooth or eye has been knocked out by his master. Ex. xxi. 27.

151. To execute him who has incurred capital punishment. Deut. xvii. 7.

198, 227, 228. That the priest shall serve in the sanctuary all the sacrifices; to separate the wave-offering, a cake of the dough, and give it to the priest. Num. xviii. 7: Deut. xviii. 7; Num. xv. 21.

237. To separate the first tithe and give it to the Levite, and give the poor's tithe to the poor. Num. xviii. 24.

299. To consult the Urim and the Thummim for the king. Num. xxvii. 21.